Israel warned strike on Iran was viable until end of 2010

[News_Editor]

Israel warned strike on Iran was viable until end of 2010

2010-11-29 05:44:40 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- Israeli defense minister Ehud Barack told American officials in June 2009 that there was a window of "between six and 18 months from now in which stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons might still be viable," according to U.S. diplomatic cables revealed by WikiLeaks.

Then Barack said that after the end of 2010, "any military solution would result in unacceptable collateral damage".

According to the defense minister, Tehran would "attempt to avoid any hook to hang accusations on, and look to Pakistan and North Korea as models to emulate in terms of acquiring nuclear weapons while defying the international community."

Another 2009 cable revealed that Israel Defense Forces Intelligence Chief, Amos Yadlin, told U.S. officials that Iran is in the position of wanting to pay only a minimum cost for its current program.

It does not want to be North Korea or what Iraq was before 2003. Iran intends to keep resolutions and sanctions at a certain manageable level and continue to produce low enriched uranium until there is enough for several bombs.

Yadlin stated that Iran could decide to produce a bomb by 2010, but Iran is waiting for the right time in the future and that there are some who will always doubt it despite the evidence.

According to Yadlin, Israel is not in a position to underestimate Iran and be surprised like the U.S. was on 11 September 2001.

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